The Ukrainian Chorus "Dumka" continuously preserves and cultivates the rich musical heritage of Ukraine.
For 75 years it has enriched the cultural and spiritual life of the Ukrainian diaspora while also generating enthusiasm in the American and European public. With a wide repertoire, including Ukrainian folk, classical and sacred music, the chorus has performed at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Town Hall, Madison Square Garden, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., the PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey, as well as concert halls of many European capitals, among them, the Royal Albert Hall in London. In 1990, the Chorus made a successful concert tour of England, Austria, Germany, France and Ukraine where it was received with great enthusiasm in Kyiv, Lviv, Poltava, and Kaniv. The first musical director of the Chorus was L. Krushelnycky. His work was continued by O. Mykytiuk, R. Stepaniak, I. Zukowsky, I. Zadorozny, I. Sonevycky, A. Bernyk and S. Komirny. Since 1991 "Dumka" has performed under the direction of Vasyl Hrechynsky.
The Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York consists of approximately 50-60 members.
It performs at various venues throughout the year.
Our Conductor
Vasyl Hrechynsky, born in Ukraine, graduated from the Kolessa Institute for Music Pedagogy in Lviv and the M. Lysenko Conservatory in Lviv, where he received a degree in conducting and teaching choral music. He continued deepening his studies by conducting at the P. Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow and later, in the USA, at Westminster College of Rider University, where he earned a Master of Music degree with honors. While in Lviv, teaching/lecturing at the Lviv Conservatory, he led several choruses and was Choirmaster at the Lviv Theater of Opera and Ballet. In 1985 and 1986, Hrechynsky won the competition for choral conducting at the Lviv Conservatory. Since arriving in the USA in 1991, Vasyl Hrechynsky has led the "Dumka" Chorus and performed in major concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully, and Newark Symphony Hall, as well as an annual Christmas concert at St. Patrick's Cathedral. In 2022, he led the "Dumka" Chorus during an appearance on "SNL" and at the U.S. Open.